Depressive Symptom Trajectories in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Longitudinal Study From Northern Vietnam (VALID II).

This study explored depressive symptoms across pregnancy and the postpartum period among women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in Vietnam. One hundred ninety-five women were recruited from two health care facilities in the Thai Binh Province, Northern Vietnam. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at three time points: before GDM diagnosis (24-28 weeks), at 36 weeks' gestation, and 12 weeks postpartum. Mixed-effects linear models guided by a directed acyclic graph were used to examine associations. The EPDS scores remained stable during pregnancy but were significantly lower postpartum than at prediagnosis (mean difference [MD] = -2.94; 95% CI, -3.59 to -2.29) and 36 weeks' gestation (MD = -3.16; 95% CI, -3.72 to -2.61). Differences in EPDS trajectories were observed across sociodemographic characteristics, with women who were not living with their spouse/partner or were divorced/separated showing the greatest reductions in EPDS scores. Maternal mental health in GDM follows a nonlinear trajectory. Integrated GDM care should include mental health screening and social support.